The Difference between greaser and Soc
by Party-Shoes16
Summary: After graduating college, Ponyboy and Darry move into the fancy world of the upper class. When unexpected changes force them to return to Tulsa with their new families, the gang finds themselves up against another fight that should have ended long ago.
1. Chapter 1

The Difference Between Greaser and Soc

Chapter 1:

Disclaimer: Sadly, I once again admit that I do not own the Outsiders.

"Darry! You're going the wrong way. Don't take that exit," a now very much grown up Ponyboy cried.

"I know where I'm going Pony," Darry replied. "We can take either exit, and we need gas."

"Whoa! I think we have enough gas," Simon James Curtis said waving his hand in front of his nose. "Man! Who cut the cheese?"

Everyone in the car started to notice a not so pleasant smell coming directly from somebody's diaper.

"I think we do need to stop," Natalie Emma Curtis said. "Baby Lucy has messed all over herself.

"Does she have to do that every time we go somewhere?" asked little Bella Jane Curtis.

Loaded down with what little possessions they had left, two Curtis families were being forced to move back to Tulsa, Oklahoma after a series of unfortunate events had left them with no other choice.

Not everyone was looking forward to the move. Darry and Ponyboy were excited to be reunited with their middle brother and the rest of the gang. It had been so long sense they had seen each other.

After graduating high school, Ponyboy had received a full ride to one of the top leading universities due to his high GPA and athletic track ability. Unexpectedly, Darry was also granted the same partially due to the kid's young age.

In order to cut down on expenses, the two brothers had shared text books to their basic classes and a one room, studio apartment. Each knew that this situation also helped a great deal with Ponyboy's nightmares, though it was never mentioned.

At college, Ponyboy had majored in Creative Writing and English. He wrote for the school paper and continued to run track.

Darry had majored in accounting. He continued to play foot ball, and ended up going pro after graduation.

Pony had met his first real girlfriend and current wife, Zili, his freshman year. The two had graduated early with top honors, and began a new life together as a young married couple in a quaint upper-class neighborhood.

Zili was now a Psychiatrist with her own successful and thriving practice, and with her consistent help, Ponyboy's nightmares were slowly starting to disappear all together.

Continuing into his Masters, Ponyboy had become a well-known author while teaching classes at a local junior college.

The couple had had trouble having children, and in the past year was blessed with their first little baby girl, Lucy Joanne Curtis, named after Zili's grandmother.

"Are we there yet? We really need to air out the car."

"Quiet, Simon," Darry scolded his son.

Darry had continued working in the construction business while he put Ponyboy and himself through college. During that period of time, he had increased his handy work from roofing to building houses, and continued with the job until he was drafted to play pro ball.

He met his wife, Asia, while he was still working in construction. One unfortunate day Darry had fallen through the roof. He had woken up in the hospital a few hours later, and Asia's face was the first thing he saw.

Asia was his nurse, and he thought she was the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on. "How are you feeling, Mr. Curtis," she had asked. With the first words out of his mouth, Darry hit on her, which she just shrugged off as delirious behavior.

Now the two had four children. Darrel Shane Curtis III was the first born, and often referred too simply as Shane. He looked just like his father and grandfather. Shane was twelve.

Natalie Emma Curtis was born next. She was nine years old. Natalie wanted to be either a ballerina or a nurse like her mother when she grew up. As Shane was the spitting image of his father, Natalie looked identical to her mother. She had big brown eyes with brown ringlets of hair, and had won Grand Supreme when she had been involved in pageants when she was younger.

Natalie was one of the ones that was not at all happy about the move. The sudden and current financial situation had left her future career in ballet hanging in the balance as her parents were uncertain if there would either the money or a dance academy available in town.

After that, Darry and Asia had Simon, now the age of six. Simon excelled in mathematics, and had the handsome looks of his Uncle Sodapop. Darry had been given a hard time about that ever sense the boy had been born.

Last was Isabella Kara Curtis. The three year old toddler was called Bella for short, and she was into everybody's business.

"I'm so nervous about meeting your family," Asia exclaimed. "You could have dressed a little more appropriately, Darrel Shane Curtis."

"Were you talking to me or Dad," Shane asked with a smirk.

"You've met my brother and his family before," Darry reminded his wife.

"That was different. We never went to his home."

"It's our home too," Darry heard Ponyboy mumble under his breath. He shot him a look. It didn't matter how old they got, Ponyboy was still his little brother.

The family had settled in a nice home just a few blocks from where Ponyboy and Zili lived. That made for a convenient domestic helper, and in return, Natalie sometimes baby-sat Lucy.

That's why the two families were traveling together. Asia had asked her father to borrow his old van, and the nine of them were all strapped in together on their way.

The last time the gang had gotten together was when Sodapop's twin terrors, River and Rain had been born at the Tulsa Community Hospital. Anymore, this was the only time and place there got together.

The hospital had been in neutral territory even though problems between Greasers and Socs had subsided for the present. Darry and Ponyboy had never taken their family to where they grew up, and it was vice versus with the rest of the gang.

Against the gang's disagreements, Soda had married an exotic dancer named Flash, who left Soda and their baby boys shortly after they were born.

Soda had been devastated, but had denied both of his brother's invitation to come live with them for a while. Instead, he continued to work at the DX with Steve. The best friends had bought out the place when the owner had decided he didn't want it anymore. Actually, Darry and Ponyboy had forked over some money to help the guys out. Asia had been furious.

Steve and Sodapop now owned the only station that still offered full service.

Steve had married Evie. She had moved into his house after Steve's father had left it to him in his will after suffering a fatal and massive heart attack.

Evie was a full-time homemaker, and took care of Soda's boys while he worked.

They had two sons. One was two years older then Soda's twins and another was a year younger. Their names were Kyle and Nick.

Two-Bit had married a blond, no surprise there. She was a real ditz. He name was Barbie, a common nickname for Barbara.

She and Two-Bit both still worked at the bar they had met at. Two-Bit was a bar tender, and Barbie was a waitress. They had one little girl, Missy, by accident. Evie took care of her sometimes too. Other times Missy stayed with her aunt or grandmother.

Two-Bit, his wife, his daughter, his kid sister who was now also grown, and his mother all lived in that same little house.

As for Dallas, he had taken a job as a truck driver, and was currently still serving time at Huntsville Prison for the transportation of illegal merchandise and missing young ladies.

Johnny was being his usual silent and secretive self. Only Ponyboy knew what was up with him. The two greasers would still get together sometimes in secret. After much persuasion on Ponyboy's part, Johnny had agreed to come out of hiding. As his best friend had commented, the cat had to come out of the bag some time. Johnny really hated cats.

The rest of the gang respected this and didn't try to push Johnny into spilling the beans. Like Darry and Ponyboy, Johnny had also moved away from Tulsa, but for his own personal reasons.

Returning to confront the harshness of his childhood years would not be easy, even if things would be different from now on.

AN: Can you guess what Johnny's secret is? You can vote on my profile. Please read and review. I hope you enjoyed this first chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

They were now back on the road again, and almost there as the old van came to the railroad tracks, and crossed over to the east side. You could feel the tension in the air that was so thick it could be cut with a steak knife.

"This is where you grew up," Asia gasped as they drove along the filthy streets, dodging the occasional broken bottle.

"Yes," was all that Darry said.

Everything still looked pretty much the same. Old, rundown building and homes that had seen better days were placed like a patchwork quilt throughout the neighborhood's roads.

"Wow!" Shane whispered.

"Why are some of the windows busted or boarded up," asked Natalie.

"That just happens sometimes with old building," Asia replied before either her husband or brother-in-law could tell her the truth.

"When do we get there," Shane asked.

"We're going to the DX first," Darry replied.

"Do I get to work on the cars?"

"No Shane. You better not touch any of those cars, or I'll skin ya." Darry threatened.

"What if I ask first?"

"Shane," Darry warned.

They soon pulled up to the DX. Steve saw them first. "Soda, your brothers are here," Steve called to him.

Soda rolled out from underneath the car he was working on. The grin on his face couldn't get any bigger.

"Who let these two ugly lugs in here," he asked playfully. "Steve, how could ya?" Sodapop pouted.

"We come in peace," said Simon putting up the hand sign.

Soda grabbed him by the shoulders and swung him around. "It's your long lost twin," Steve commented.

"Uncle Sodapop, do you remember me?" Shane asked hopefully.

"Darry, you've shrunk!" Soda cried.

"You're gonna pay for that one," Darry said as he lunged for his younger brother.

"Help Pony! Help!" shouted Soda as he ran behind Ponyboy grasping him tightly to him.

Ponyboy shrugged him off, and pushed him towards the direction Darry was standing in. Darry grabbed him, and curled his muscular arms around his neck.

"Not so ruff," Asia gasped.

"This is not ruff," Soda replied in a strained voice.

"Darry," Asia prompted. Darry let him go reluctantly. He knew his wife would have a lot of getting used to.

"So do you live in this neighborhood too?" Asia was asking Steve to make small talk when a shrieking alarm and bright, flashing red lights suddenly went off.

"Boys!" Soda shouted behind him. He ran quickly back through the garage to shut off the alarm. "Get out here now!"

Two twin boys peeped sheepishly from behind a pair of office doors. "Come out here," Sodapop commanded sharply. Both boys walked slowly towards their father.

"The two of you have already been suspended for the stunts you've pulled at school," Soda began in a low voice. "Now, I asked you to stay upstairs. You should not be in the office."

"We're sorry," said Rain in a small voice.

"You should be," Soda replied. "There will be no cake for either of you tonight. Now go say hello to your cousins."

River and Rain ran out of the garage. "River. Rain. The last time I saw you two you were just babies in your father's arms," Zili called out to them. "Come give your Auntie a hug."

No one really remembered anyone else, and it was awkward as everyone climbed back into their vehicles to go to the Curtis house.

Both Darry and Pony cast their eyes downward as they all walked into the house, reminded of the nothings that they had come from, and how things had so drastically changed.

Silence can sometimes speak louder than words.

Though nothing was spoken verbally, the body language in which both Asia and even Zili portrayed was enough to tell what they really thought. Both women had known of their husband's background for quite some time, but it seemed to just now be sinking in as they were forced to accept their new environment of living for the very first time.

The two families looked about the house. "Which room was your room, Dad?" Shane asked.

AN: Sorry his was such a short chapter, but it just seemed like a good stopping point while I try to update all my stories. Please read and review. Oh, and for those who haven't already voted, there's a pole on my profile to vote for what you think might be Johnny's big secret. Thanks.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

The second day was more awkward then the first. No one was happy. When Soda had heard about his brother's current financial and other problems he insisted on giving them the house while he and his sons moved to a small attic space above the DX. It was perfect for three greasy guys. Soda claimed that he had been thinking about making the move anyway, and was sticking strongly to his story.

Generous as his attentions may have been, space was tight at the Curtis place with two families trying to share the tiny three bedrooms, one bath house. Baby Lucy shared Ponyboy and Sodapop's old room with her parents, Pony and Zili, while Darry and Asia took Darry's old room, or the one the originally had belonged to their mom and dad. Their four kids shared the third bedroom with much protest.

There was never a dual moment as the days progressed, always a complaint, always an argument. "You spend too much time in the bathroom," Shane yelled at Natalie as he pounded loudly on the door.

"Shane talked in his sleep and kept me awake all night," Simon pouted.

"Bella flushed my earrings down the toilet," Natalie sounded the alarm.

"Simon forgot to put the toilet seat down, and I fell in," said little Bella.

"Whoa, something really stinks in here. Nobody light a match or anything," Simon said when Lucy had a dirty diaper.

As the weeks and months wore on, things got even worse. Asia hated her job at the hospital because every patient she saw was a good for nothing hood. "We got a lot of those around here," Darry told her. "You should count your blessings. This neighborhood used to be a whole lot worse. It's been cleaned up a lot sense I last lived here."

Darry wasn't fairing much better himself. Sense his company got sued, he was back to where he had started when his parents had first passed and he had assumed the role of guardian for his two younger brothers.

Ponyboy on the other hand had managed to get a part time job teaching writing classes at the high school. His latest book had been rejected once again, but he was still holding out hope even though he hadn't been able to sell a book in quite a while.

Zili's case loads seemed to increase all the time as she was now required to work with several students at three separate schools each day.

The kids were being singled out by other students in school as they were new, different, and a little on the sheltered side compared to the other attendants.

One day Shane came home from school with a real shiner. "What happened, Shane!" Asia exclaimed with much concern when she saw the sight of her oldest son. "My poor baby. I know that hurts. Here, we'll put some ice of that, and Mommy will make it feel all better."

"Mom, it's not that big of a deal," Shane insisted. He didn't want to admit to his mother how much it had hurt when he was beat up and humiliated after school.

"Asia, our son is in high school now. It's time to stop treating him like a baby. He's growing up," Darry commented calmly.

He had come along way with his parenting skills after the struggles he had had raising Ponyboy. Darry was still strict and stern, but he had learned to listen and be patient.

Asia gave Darry a look which Darry dismissed. "Who were you fighting Shane?" Darry asked his first born.

"Are you in trouble at school?" asked his mother.

"It was after school, so no, I'm not in any trouble except with the guy that was picking on me."

"Oh my goodness! I can't believe this has happened!" Asia exclaimed in hysterics. "Now we have to invite his family over for tea, and then we…"

"Asia," Darry cut her off with a wave of his hand. "Things are not done that way here."

Shane's eyes grew wide with fear as he watched his parents talk. He had overheard them arguing a few weeks ago, and hope their discussion wouldn't lead to fighting once again.

He knew of his father's background, as did the rest of his family. Shane always thought what his father told him were glorious tales of the rising of the underdog. His father and uncles had grown up here. "Greasers' his father had said they were, the kids from the wrong side of the tracks, and yet through it all, they had managed to make something of themselves and their lives. Thinking about it made Shane very proud of his father.

His mother, on the other hand…what did he think of her? His only grandparents were fairly wealthy, but not filthy rich. They had always made sure to give their daughter the best of lives amenities. They loved and supported their daughter in all her life choices. Asia was their only child after all.

Nana and Papa were always happy to see him and his siblings, so what was the problem. Shane thought hard for a moment. Tension, that was it. There was always a lot of tension between them and his father. OMG! It was if a light bulb went off in his head. His mother was what his father called a 'SOC.'

"Shane," the deep disapproving voice of his father brought him back to reality. "Your uncle is speaking to you."

Shane hadn't even noticed when his uncle had come in. "I'm sorry, what was it that you said?"

"Who were you fighting?" Ponyboy repeated the question.

"A guy named Aaron Shepard, Shane replied.

Both Darry and Ponyboy raised their eye brows at the name. So the Shepard's outfits were still in operation. Maybe the neighborhood hadn't been cleaned up as good as the brothers had thought.

Seeing his father and uncle's reactions, Shane asked, "Do you know him?" Both Darry and Ponyboy assumed that Aaron was Tim's kid. They hadn't seen him or any of his boys in the few months they had been here. Surely they new that they were back in town. Ponyboy and Darry looked at each other. They had always been able to whip the Shepards in a fair fight of skin against skin. Maybe it was time to remind them were they stood.

AN: Thanks so much to this who are reading reviewing this story. Thanks also to those who voted on my poll. If you haven't yet, there is still time. Johnny's coming up in the next chapter. I can't wait!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

"I don't want to do this," Shane insisted as he walked down the busy street with his father and uncle.

"There's no need to be scared Shane, we know the family…sort of…in a different kind of way…" Ponyboy was saying.

"What?" Shane asked confused.

"Never mind what he just said. It's all in the past now," Darry commented.

They were almost there, and Shane started to feel a little sick at his stomach. He guessed that it was probably from nerves.

Shane wondered if his father felt the same way he did, for Darry sure wasn't showing it. Shane didn't think his father was afraid of anything. Darry had often told him stories about him and the gang of buddies growing up on the East side of town, so Shane had become aware of his fathers reputation. Some day, he hoped to be able to live up to that same rep.

Shane became aware of someone shaking his shoulders. "You better start paying more attention to what's going on around you then being in that world of yours," Darry stated firmly. "You're as bad as Ponyboy was at your age."

"That wouldn't be a good thing," Ponyboy whispered to his nephew. "Darry was always on my case for it." Shane had to smile at that. It wasn't even a week ago when his father and uncle had gotten into a very heated argument which only ended when Darry knocked Pony senseless.

They tended to do that ever so often, and to make matters worse, neither brother had realized that they had an audience. Shane had watched with the rest of his family as his other uncle, Sodapop, tried to help diffuse the situation.

Sodapop had once mentioned to Shane that he had often had to come between his two brothers. There relationship had strengthened when Soda had been drafted, but on those now very rare occasions when they still fought, it was much worse.

Asia and Zili had both let out a gasp of both horror and shock as they saw Ponyboy fall still. "Man Darry, how many time you gonna hit him? You know that doesn't make him use any more common sense," a voice said. Asia screamed at the sight of the devilish looking man. That was the day they more or less met the famous Dallas Winston, out of prison for the present time being.

"Hey Darry, should we still whistle?" Ponyboy asked. Whistle? Shane wondered what his uncle was talking about?

Darry never answered for in front of them were the very people they had come to see. Shane tried to take deep breaths as he noticed the appearances of men and boys who looked mean and heartless, yet once again he noticed that his father, nor hid uncle, show no fear.

"Hey, Curtis! Dally was just telling us that you were back in town," Tim Shepard greeted as they neared the large back allies were their outfits still liked to hang out some of the time. "What's up?" He handed both brothers a beer which they accepted.

Shane felt very intrigued by the seen before him. There was loud music lasting, and the people, what characters, smoking, drinking, fighting, and making out. It was a complete change from the life he was use to. His mother threw a fit if the music was ever played above a medium tempo.

"We need to talk to you about one of your boys," Darry said. "One of your younger boys. You have a son named Aaron?"

"No, I have two daughters," Tim said. He lowered his voice and said, "I think my wife secretly hates men."

"Having to put up with you, I wonder why," Ponyboy said sarcastically.

Tim smirked at the comment. "Still got that mouth of yours I see," he said.

"Tim, we're here because Aaron an Shane here have being having problems at school," Darry directed everyone's attention back to their purpose for being there.

"I gotcha. I gotcha," Tim said. "Aaron's here. He's my nephew though. He belongs to Curly and Blair."

"Blair?" Both Ponyboy and Darry said at once. Blair was an exotic dancer. She had worked at the club with Sodapop's former wife Flash, and Darry during his desperate job days.

Tim smirked again. "You know, she still works at the club if you ever want your old job back."

Shane looked wide eyed up at his father. He couldn't believe he had once been a striper. Did his mother know about this?

"We don't talk about it," Darry told his son with a warning tone in his voice.

"You're just being modest." He turned to Shane. "You're dad was one of the best they ever had."

"Can it!" Darry snapped. "Where's Curly?"

"He's over there, with Aaron and…" The three stomped off, and Tim never finished.

"Curly!" Darry shouted, calling him out.

All the guys turned toward them. Shane could feel a shill go down his spine as he saw the mocking look on Aaron's face. That wasn't the case though for Curly. Shane could identify a distinctive of dread. He wondered why that was. Was Curly afraid of his father and uncle? Little did he know that that was exactly what it was.

Neither brother had been invited to the wild party that night, and both were wondering in the back of their minds if they were going to have to prove themselves once again now that they were back in their old neighborhood.

Darry stepped forward. "We seem to be having a few problems at school between my son and yours," Darry stated. He was in complete control, and his tone of voice told Curly that he was calling the shots. They were going to settle this right now, and years sense their greaser days didn't change nothing.

AN: I hope you enjoyed it. Please leave a review.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

It was no surprise that Curly didn't seem too concerned about the rivalry between Shane and Aaron. He thought it built that character stuff people where always talking about, and the boy was learning how to take care of himself.

Darry begged to differ. "You're not doing the kid any favors by teaching him to bully his way into getting what he wants," He started.

"At least I don't have to ever worry about him dancing necked for money," Curly said coldly. Darry paled just slightly at the memory of that night.

"Don't pretend to be jealous just because your brother doesn't want to keep you around," Ponyboy shot.

For a split second it seemed as if Curly had been caught off guard by Ponyboy's remark, but he recovered too quickly for him to be sure. They were friends after all. Why were they fighting, or at least at a stand off?

"Old habits die hard in this neighborhood," Darry took up the discussion. "Aaron's already feeling the need to proof himself it seems, but I rather my son not have to pay for my mistakes," Darry said calmly.

This whole time both Aaron and Shane had been standing beside their fathers without saying a word. Each was slightly afraid of the other, or the other's parent, as they stared across at one another.

Shane had been staring at the ground. He wondered if it was safe for him to speak. He wondered why Aaron felt so strongly toward him.

"What's your deal with me, man," Shane finally decided to ask.

"Well that didn't go well," Johnny said as he walked back to their area with the others.

"How are we going to explain this to our wives?" Pony asked.

A fight had broken out after Aaron had attempted to attack Shane, only to be intercepted by Ponyboy who restrained the boy before he and Curly started going at it.

From there on out it seemed as if everyone jumped in. Darry, Ponyboy, and Shane were against great odds, but then their gang had always been a lot smaller than Shepard's.

One of the Shepard's goons came up from behind Ponyboy and started to cut off his air by putting a choke hold around his throat. Ponyboy tried to shake him off while still fighting with a guy in front of him, but found that he was having a great deal of trouble doing so. He was starting to turn blue in the face and loose consciousness until all of a sudden he felt release from the strong hold the other greaser had had on him.

Still dazed Ponyboy turned around not expecting the least to find non other than Johnny Cade pick a fight with the guy in Pony's defense.

Ponyboy was so astonished by the current presence of Johnny that for a few moments he just stood there staring at his friend. Johnny looked just like he did before the incident up at Jay Mountain. He was no longer paralyzed in his wheel chair, and was not only walking now, he was able to fight, for Ponyboy, good too.

A few wild whoops from Dallas a few feet away was enough to wake Ponyboy from his daze. Somehow he had gotten separated from the others. More importantly, where was Shane? Ponyboy didn't see him, but surly Darry was keeping a close eye on his eldest son, just like he did when Ponyboy had been Shane's age.

Before the complete thought could leave his mind, Pony saw Darry come out of nowhere and pounce on Jim and Colin for hurting his son. Shane dropped to the floor as Darry easily took both guys down to the ground, busting their heads together in the process. Shane scrambled to his feet and ran towards his uncle.

"Let's go home," Ponyboy said to him.

"What about Dad?" Shane asked in a shivering voice that matched his fast bating heart.

"He's more than capable of taking care of himself," Ponyboy answered. "Now let's go." He took hold of his nephew by the shoulder and marched him away from the seen.

Ponyboy sat with Shane in the lot. They picked at the dead grass as a siren went by.

"They must be headed to break up the fight," Shane voiced.

Ponyboy nodded. "We'll know if we get a call to come get your father out of jail."

"Mom's not going to be happy about this," Shane spoke again.

"That's why she doesn't need to know," Ponyboy said out right.

The truth was that Ponyboy didn't always care so much for Asia. She had grown up a soc, but then so had his wife. There had just always seemed to be something about her.

For one thing, Asia seemed to make everything into some big, dramatic issue. The sky was always falling in her world.

Ponyboy had not quite been eighteen when he and Darry first went to college. Asia and Darry had started dating two months into their freshman year.

In the beginning the two had not hit it off very well, so Ponyboy had tried to make himself scarce whenever she was around. This really bothered Darry, but Ponyboy assured him he was ok with him being with Asia.

The morning of Ponyboy's eighteenth birthday, a social worker had appeared at their front door. She wanted to take Ponyboy away on account that they had received a complaint.

Both brothers smiled before explaining to the woman that Ponyboy was now eighteen, and didn't care to go anywhere at the moment. However, the woman was insistent. She took Ponyboy by the hand to lead him away.

Ponyboy still remembered the strong mix of feelings he had had that day. He had wanted to slap her away, but he didn't believe in hitting women not matter how much they might deserve it sometimes.

Darry had run into their bedroom and returned with a copy of Ponyboy's birth certificate proving once and for all that his baby brother was now the legal age of eighteen.

"Now you've been on us all these years," Darry told the woman through clenched teeth. "I had to fight to keep my family. FAMILY!" Darry roared. "That's something you bunch of dipsticks always preach about, but have always wanted to take away. What do you know about family? Hugh? Our only fault was that we were poor, which just wasn't ever good enough for you. Why not go to the wealthy families that were actually abusing their kids? Because their parents didn't die, that's why! That and they had the … money to pay you sly tub of guts off.

Well, you've seen his birth certificate. Now leave, and don't you ever come back!"

Ponyboy could still remember the anger and rage flashing through Darry's cold blue eyes that day.

The worst part was that Ponyboy secretly knew that Asia was somehow involved in the social worker's visit. He had no proof though, so not wanting to cause his eldest brother any more pain, Ponyboy never said a word to Darry about his suspicion.

Ponyboy's mind was full of past thoughts, but he kept them to himself as the others met them in the lot after the fight. His only concern for now was what their family would think.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

"How could you let this happen Derail Curtis!" Asia shrieked. "I can't believe you would let your own son get hurt like this."

Ponyboy had had cause to worry. As soon as they got home, the fur began to fly. Ponyboy had known that his wife wouldn't be too happy with him, but Asia was furious with Darry.

Shane was a sight she probably had never seen before with one black eye, and another that was nearly swollen shut. There were bruises all over that kept changing colors.

"I'm fine Mom, really," Shane tried to reassure his mother.

"Shane, go to your room. Your father and I need to talk."

After Shane had left the room, Darry and Asia continued to argue, and that was when things went from bad to worse.

"So I let you move us miles away into this rundown dump full of hoods just so that this could happen to our son. What if something happens to the other children? My dad offered you a job. We could have lived with my parents, and not in a nightmare like this."

"A nightmare?" Shane's eyes went wide after hearing the venomous tone of his father's voice as he listened from the back bedroom with his brother and sisters.

"You have no idea what kind of a nightmare living here can be. You've always run to your parents for everything. It's no wonder there's always been so much tension between us. Why the hell would I won't to depend on your father to support my family? I supported myself and my two brothers when I was barley twenty. There was no one to go running to. You knew I came from a rough background. Is being the gang's leader not descriptive enough?"

"Daddy was a gang leader?" Natalie whispered to Shane who nodded in response.

"But you've always had anything and everything you've dreamed of handed to you on a silver platter. You're teaching our kids to be sissies, not independent people. "

"I'm not a sissy," Simon said with sniffles.

"I never wanted our children to grow up to be like this," Asia explained.

"Like what?" Darry demanded. "Rough like me, someone who can make it on his own? Well, I'll let you in on a little secret. This neighborhood may have cleaned up sense Pony and I left for college, but that are still plenty of characters around. The only reason why no one dares look at you the wrong way is because they'd thank twice about having to fight me."

Asia's eyes began to tear as she walked away from her husband. Darry hated when this happened.

"Are they going to get a divorce?" Simon asked.

"I hope not," Natalie answered.

"Man, Pony wasn't kidding when he said that Darry was marring a bitch," Dallas said to Johnny as they left the Curtis brothers to be drilled by their wives.

"He said witch," Johnny protested only to find Dally chuckling.

"Those two sure are in some hot water," Dallas said.

Dally had seen Ponyboy take off with Shane at the fight, and told Johnny to go with them. He stayed to fight with Darry until an agreement could be reached.

The agreement was that Aaron would leave Shane alone. This was decided had Darry broke Curly's nose and busted a rib.

Darry and Dally had then come on to the lot where they had a pretty good idea Ponyboy and Johnny would be waiting for them with Shane.

"Man, if I ever glad I'm not Darry," Dally said after a few moments of silence.

They were on their way to Buck's. Dally wanted to check out the action there. Johnny figured he would get himself jailed again before the night was over. He had heard that they might do away with the good behavior policy at the jail house, but Dally hadn't seemed to take much stalk in it when he had mentioned this to him.

"mmmmmmmmmmmmm," Dally heard Johnny mumble something under his breath.

"What's that?" Dallas asked him.

"Nothing," Johnny said.

"What did you say?"

"It was nothing, doesn't matter anymore. It as just that I don't know if Ponyboy ever said anything about his suspicions on Asia calling CPS on them when she and Darry first met."

"NO!"

"Yeah, Ponyboy had turned eighteen just that morning, but they still tried to take him."

"Ponyboy tells you everything, though, but I wouldn't put it past her," Dally said as they continued walking. "You'd think after four years they'd know what a hard ass Darry was." They both laughed.

AN: Thank to those who left a review and added my story to your alerts and favorites. Have a Happy Thanksgiving


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